Improvement in bearing-steps and vertical shafts



F. A. GARDNER. BEARING STEP AND VERTICAL SHAFT.

No. 118,867. Patented Apr. 18, 1871.

Wwnesses,

than

start new Patent No.'113,867, dated April 18,1871.

IMPROVEMENT m esAmne-s-rnpsmo VERTICAL SHAF-TS.

- The Schedule referred to in these 'Letters Patent and making part ofthe lam.

flo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS A. Gnnnxnn, of Danbury, in the countyoffFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Bearing-Steps for Vertical Shafts; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the 'accompanying drawing, in which Figure1 is an elevation showing my invention, the step being in section.

Figures 2 and 3 represent such modifications in the relative positionsof the bearing surfaces as may be required by a change of theinclination of the axis.

Figure 4' represents conical rollers instead of spheriic'al ones.

This invention relates to improvements in anti-fric tion-bearings formechanisms having revolutionon vertical axes; and

It consists in constructing the bearingsurfaces so that friction-rollersmay traverse between them and around the prime axis of rotation withoutslip.

This invention is applicable ,for steps for all vertical shafts, turbinewheels, millstone spindles, cranes, turn-tables, revolving chairs, 8w.

I am aware that friction-rollers-spherical, conical, andcylindrical-have hitherto been employed, to support vertical shafts, butsaid rollers have always, prior to this invention, been arranged torevolve upon axes perpendicular to the prime axis of rotation, and asthe more distant parts of said rollers necessarily travel around saidprime axis in larger circuits than the inner parts of said rollers, butin equal times and revolutions, it is apparent that considerablefriction and slip must ensue.

In addition to the slip there is, when conical rollers are employed, anadditional amount of friction from the end thrust. The effect offriction produced as above set forth is to destroy the regular form ofthe rollers or the bearingsurfaces,

and the apparatus thenscon becomes inoperative.

The friction caused by the elasticity' or deficient strength of thematerial employed is not taken into .said points of contact, and themotion of said roller will therefore represent the motion of arollingcyliu inder.- The relative positions of tliejides of said groove, eitheras to the horizon or to each other, will not effect this law.

v If, however, the groove is made annular, so that the points on thesurface of the roller successively in contact with the sides of thegroove will traverse around the prime axis in circles of differentdiameters, then the axis of the roller will be inclined to the lineconnecting said points of contact on the surface of the roller, andthese two lines will out each other and the prime axis .at the samepoint. The motion of the roller will then represent the motion of acone.

' From the above it will. appear evident that a spherical roller may becaused to roll in an annular groove around the central or prime axis ofsaid groove without slip, itsouter part being caused to traverse alarger circuit than its inner part in equal times and revolutions.

The principles above set forth are embodied and made operative in myinvention for the purpose of producing frictionless hearings or stepsfor vertical shafts.

A represents a spindle or upright shaft, which may,

be supposed to belongto any machine or mechanism in which it would beuseful.

The step or seat for the foot of the shaft Ais formed by a plate, B,provided with a flange, 7).. In fig. 1 the flange b is madeperpendicular to the surface of the plate B.

.Thespherical rollers O are placed upon said plate and within saidflange, as shown.

The points of contact of the roller and the seat will be upon line a.Ifthe roller 0 be caused to pass along the surface of B and b, thenthose points of contact will be transferred along two parallel linesaround the surface of said roller,'and said lines will, if prolonged,form circles of different diameters. The motion of the roller will thenbe that of a cone.

These different circles, beingparallel, havea common axis, and said axisis that of a cone, which would traverse a similar circuit-4. e., a conewhose apex would touch the prime axis at D.

The line d represents the axis of revolution for the roller 0, and theline a represents one side of atone,-

such as above described. V

I prefer to employ spheres instead of conical r011 ers because thesurface of B or b is always tangential to the -surface of the roller atthe point of contact.

In fig. 4 conical rollers are shown instead of spheres, and when. veryheavy shafts are to be supported it may be advantageous to employ them.

The shaft A is formed with a conical foot to rest against the severalrollers, as shown, and the surface of said conical foot is calculated atsuch an angle as will as nearly as possible secure an equal pressure ofthe roller against the two points of contact. when spherical rollers areemployed. When conical rollers are employed the foot may be calculatedat the angle of the conical rollers.

It will appear evident that when the shaft A revolves the rollers uponwhich itis supported will also revolve, and will roll along the surfaceof B and b without slip, and therefore without friction.

1f the flange b is perpendicular to the'surface B, as

shown in fig. 1, then the inclination of the axis d will be'abont-thirty-tln-ee degrees to the prime axis, and the inclination ofthe line-a will be forty-five degrees to said prime axis.

In figs.2 and 3 the roller-axis is drawn at an inolinat-ion offorty-live degrees, and theieonseqnent modificationsof bearing surfacesare shown. it willappear from the foregoing description. that the chiefvirtue of this invention depends upon the proper inclination of the axesof the fi'iction-roliers O; and it is also apparent that, so far as theprinciples of operation are concerned, it is immaterial whether 13 isthe-stationary or the movable part.

The rollers may be placed loosely in the step, and

they will there revolve upon their natural axes; but it will benecessary to employ as many as may he necessary to almost fill theannular space, and it is de-,

To employssmailer number of rollers it becomes necessary to use somedevice to maintain them in proper position and prevent them fromhuddling together. For this purpose I- employ the plate with radialarms, e, which are bent at an angle coincident with the inclination ofthe axis d; each roller Gis then perforated, and one of the arms 0inserted to act as an axis. 4

The plate E is suspended by its arms. 0 in the axial pcribrations of therollers, and does not touch either the shaft A or sent B. No labor istherefore required of said plate except to prevent the displacement ofthe rollers (3.

Having described my invention,-

What I claim as new is- 1. The manner of application of sphericalrollers between hearing surfaces, which are disposed relatively in themanner described, so that each of said rollers can revolve" upon itsnatural axis inclined to the prime axis, as described, to form ananti-friction bearing for meoha'nismshaving revolution in horizontalplanes.

' 2. The step B, constructed with an annular flange,

b, in combination with the revolving part A con-- structed with aconical face, and the rollers O revolving upon an axis inclined to theprime axis, the whole

